In the summer of 2024, I took a ceramics class where I teach, Southern Maine Community College. The studio overlooks Spring Point Lighthouse and Casco Bay. I wrestled with the clay and its strange 3D, tactile quality that was so different than paints and pencils and other materials I'd used as an artist. We were asked to bring an "organic" object to the second class, and we'd use that to inspire us for our first assignment: a vessel. Ironically, as a fellow professor, I forgot to bring one, so I walked about 100 yards down to the beach and found a 2x6 piece of driftwood. Its presence as an object helped me focus on how to use the clay. At first I tried to recreate it, hollowed out to make a tray, and it was so ugly and clunky and I dreaded the next class. When I came back, I started trying to wrap the clay around the wood, but the results were brittle, so the professor suggested I try paper clay - regular clay mixed with shredded paper - and its toughness enabled me to create very delicate but durable objects inspired by that first piece of wood. I've used a limited palette of glazes to emphasize texture and structure before color.
The slide show includes some of those finished objects, including the first ugly tray which I'm beginning to love.
The slide show includes some of those finished objects, including the first ugly tray which I'm beginning to love.